Portuguese Association of Corporate Communication

The Portuguese Association for Corporate Communication (APCE) is an autonomous non-profit driven entity, independent and active for almost 20 years.

It represents and defends, in Portugal and abroad, the interests of its associates, mainly Corporate Communication and Public Relations officers and managers, including spokespersons. It is a discussion and reflection forum, open to all those involved in Communication Sciences, whether in Corporate or Academic domains.

APCE envisions itself as Portugal’s reference association in the Corporate Communication and Public Relations areas, striving for their promotion.

Its associates are corporate communicators, teachers and researchers that, through APCE, discuss ideas and gather technical information and theoretical support, essential to address the new challenges facing the job.

As core values, APCE bases its actions in:

:. Giving priority to people within organizations and the crucial role of internal and external communication in their success.:. Promoting knowledge, experience and information sharing between equals.:. Opening a debate of ideas to all professionals from the different fields of Communication with a contributive and intervening spirit.:. Assuming its training functions among companies and university students, aiming to enter the job market.:. Freely accepting the ethical conjugation of interests to the benefit of Corporate Communication and Public Relations professionals, including spokespersons.:. Stimulating professional rigor based on truth, transparency, integrity, dynamism and proactivity.

The main APCE objectives include being recognized as a reference institution by Corporate Communication actors, to dignify and garner prestige to its associates and activities in Portugal and abroad, establishing Corporate Communication and Public Relations as a critical success factor for companies.

Others include promoting the Corporate Communicator and Public Relations tasks, spokespersons included, as a credible and certified career and forming a community of leaders, serving the job and society.

APCE also encourages mutual contact and knowledge sharing between corporate and academic sectors, promoting the study of models and theories for Communication and Public Relations.

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the leading public relations industry professional body in the United Kingdom. Founded in February 1948, it today has over 9000 members.

The CIPR is the largest association of its kind in Europe. We are a member of the European PR federation CERP (Confederation Europeenne des Relations Publiques) and a founding member of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management.

The Institute represents and serves the interests of people working in public relations in the UK and abroad. We offer access to information, advice and support, and provide networking and training opportunities through a wide variety of events, conferences and workshops.

Dircom is a professional association of communication executives and managers from companies, institutions and consulting groups in Spain. It currently boasts over900 members.

It was founded in 1992 by a group of professionals in light of the increasing importance and scope of their responsibilities in companies and society as a whole.

Our vision is to enhance the role played in organisations by communication and communication managers so that this department and its executives are regarded as a key strategic area and role. We carry out our missionthrough our four strategic goals:

Acknowledgement: Enhancing the role played in organisations by the communication manager and corporate communication.

Knowledge: Acting as transmitters and providers of knowledge in communication matters.

Networking: Encouraging the contact network and the exchange of experiences among communication executives.

CSR & Responsible Management: We stand up for the responsibility, the ethical management and trust recovery of organisations with their stakeholders.

Dircom’s Board is made up of the Chairman, three Vice Chairmen, a Secretary General, a Treasurer and fourteen Executive Officers (communication managers in enterprises and institutions, top executives in communication agencies and representatives of the academe), with the support of a management team.

DPRG was established in Cologne on 8 December 1958 as the professional association of public relations specialists in Germany. Since then, the association has informed and supported its members in professional matters. Its bye-laws state that the association has set itself the task of improving the reputation of the profession with the general public.

DPRG is an information hub, a knowledge platform and a competence network. In 15 working parties and 9 state groups, our members find a variety of opportunities for professional interchange and networking. These also include national specialist events such as the International German PR convention or the "DPRGforum". Through cooperation with international partner organizations such as the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management, our members have access to a world-wide professional network. In addition they have exclusive access, often free of charge, to a large number of benefits and services.

Ethics

The task of the Ethics Committee is to protect the professional reputation of each individual member and to identify and sanction any infringements of the principles and interests of the public relations profession. The decisions of the Ethics Committee are based especially on the Code d’ Athènes and the Code de Lisbonne.

A key concern for the organization is the promotion and safeguarding of quality standards in PR and communication management. For this purpose, DPRG has issued principles, guidelines and a professional mission statement for the sector. In the exercise of their profession, DPRG members are under an obligation to comply with the good conduct principles of the "Code d'Athènes" and the "Code de Lisbonne".

As one of the members of Deutscher Rat für Public Relations (DRPR – German Public Relations Council), DPRG is involved in the self-regulation of the sector, with the objective of identifying irregularities and highlighting misconduct.

Together with industry associations "Bundesverband deutscher Pressesprecher" (BdP) and "Gesellschaft Public Relations Agenturen" (GPRA), DPRG established the "Prüfungs- und Zertifizierungsorganisation der deutschen Kommunikationswirtschaft" (PZOK – "Auditing and Certification Organization of the German Communication Industry). One of the objectives of PZOK is to carry out high-quality, standardized, impartial audits in the PR sector.

AboutEstonian Public Relations Association (EPRA) is a professional association that was founded in 1996 as an umbrella organisation for public relations practitioners in Estonia. The mission of the Association is to promote the public relations in Estonia and to improve professionalism of its members. The Association has a Code of Ethics based on the International Public Relations Association Code of Conduct adopted in Venice.

The Association brings together public relations professionals from all over Estonia. Its members are employed in public and private companies, public sector organisations, non-profit organisations and PR agencies. The Association has currently 72 active members. The highest body is a general meeting that elects a five-member board to co-ordinate the work of the Association. The term of office of the board is two years.

As a professional organisation for public relations practitioners, EPRA organises specialised trainings and events for its members. Some of workshops and training events are also opened for general public. Every month the Association organises a club event that involves presentations and discussion on hot topic. EPRA continues to increase its membership in order to find a new inspiration and to fulfil better its goals.

One of the largest projects of EPRA is the Public Relations Handbook that was published in co-operation with a leading business daily newspaper Äripäev. At the end of 2000 EPRA issued for the first time in Estonia a Public Relations Award. The aim of the annual competition is to identify the best PR campaign that was launched or implemented during previous year. Now it has been traditional event where all professionals are cathering every year.

EPRA is member of Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organizations.

At the heart of everything is the desire to satisfy the high professional standards demanded these days in terms of strategic communications at the level of entire businesses or entire organizations.

This is primarily facilitated through internal activities reserved exclusively for members, and supplemented by external events on topics of relevance to an understanding of the role of a Chief Communications Officer and designed to raise the profile of this role. The club was founded in 2000 at the Harbour House in Zurich – hence the name.

Membership is limited to 100. Members are current Chief Communications Officers (CCO) of businesses and organizations in Switzerland and a maximum of ten people with an important role within the Swiss communications scene.

Our main goals are to establish communication as an academic discipline, promote communication as a specialist profession and generate high-quality courses and postgraduate programs.

Structure

The NCA has 10 smaller branches based in Norway's counties. Each local branch has its own local board and manages its own finances. As a member you will join a local branch depending on your place of residence. This branch will invite you to attend professional meetings, lectures, courses and networking events. In addition to this we have a separate division for students only.

Reasons to join

All members of the association enjoy a range of benefits. They receive our magazine 6 times a year. They have preferential rates discounted for courses, seminars and bigger events each semester. As a member, they can easily work to expand their own networks through our social gatherings.

Courses

Each semester the members will be offered a set of courses at reduced prices. NCA courses range from strategic topics to practical tools, from coaching to write effectively for the web. The goal is to give members a better way to work with all the different aspects of communication on a day-to-day basis.

Education

The NCA is cooperating with BI, the Norwegian School of Management, to develop programs at Master-level. In addition, the NCA is working with other university colleges to generate ideas for new courses on subjects relevant to communication professionals. The main objective is to establish a Masters degree in Communication.

The magazine Kommunikasjon (Communication)

Six times a year all members receive our magazine "Communication". It reports on the latest trends, studies and technologies within the field of communication. There is also information about the local branches and their activities.

Events

Twice a year the association arranges events combining professional aspects with a social component. Kommunikasjonsdagen (The Communication Day) is a one-day seminar during the spring semester, whereas Høstseminaret (The Autumn Seminar) is a three-day event during the autumn. Each of these events draws 300 - 600 members.

Social networks

We encourage all members to take advantage of our different networks based on common interests in the communication field.

Who to contact

For general enquiries please contact a member of the team on + 47 23 31 59 00 or by email: post@kommunikasjon.no

For all other enquiries, please contact the NCA at:Norsk kommunikasjonsforeningPostboks 333 Sentrum0101 Oslo

Lithuanian Public Relations Specialists’ Association (hereafter the Association) is a professional association that had beenfound in 2000. The Union brings together public relations professionals from all over Lithuania, from both public and private companies, non-profit organizations and PR agencies. The highest body of the Association is a general meeting that elects a six-member board and a chairperson to coordinate the work of the Union. The board iselected for two years. As a professional organization of public relations practitioners, LPRSU organizes specialized events for its members. Every month the Association organizes an open event that involves presentations to discuss most interesting professional issues. LPRSU continues to increase its membership in order to find a new inspiration and to fulfil better its goals.

MissionTo unite public relations practitioners from both private and public sectors who subscribe to professional ethical principles and seek to develop their professional competence.

Vision

Act as a public relations competence centre in Lithuania fostering professional development of its members and properly representing the Association at international level.

ObjectivesAct as a platform for the Association members to develop their professional qualification through the events, sharing of the best practices, and communication among members.

To strengthen professional reputation and awareness of the Association in Lithuania and abroad.

ProCom is a co-operation organization, the promise is to promote and preserve the professional development of its members and to consolidate the position of communication as a field in Finland.

Ethics

The ethics applied in Finland are based on the Global Alliance Melbourne Mandate, GA Stockholm Accords, Code of Athens and the Lisbon Statement. The Ethics applied to Finnish communication landscape can be found on ProCom's web pages.

Membership

ProCom has currently 2700 members comprising communication coordinators/officers/managers/advisors/directors/ as well as entrepreneurs and consultants.

The people seeking membership fill in a registration form. They are required to work within organizational communications or PR or within research, coaching or training. The membership is approved by the Board of Directors.

History

ProCom is the one of the oldest communications association in Europe with roots going back to 1947. Its predecessors were Propaganda Union (1937), Tiedotusmiehet (1947) and the Association of Finland's Employee Magazines (1955). Peace time associations merged under the name Suomen Tiedottajien Liitto (StiL) in 1978. The Finnish Association of Communications Professionals ProCom name was adopted 2004.

ProCom organizes annually 90 training or networking events. The main PR networking event is the ProCom Day in June (since 1949). ProCom organizes also competitions and grants awards for the best communication campaigns, individuals and best communication products.

Established in 1954, the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII) is dedicated to promoting the professional practice of public relations in Ireland, and to serving the best interests of people working in the profession.

The Institute seeks:

• Wider recognition of the role of public relations in business • Higher standards of professionalism • Better qualifications for PR practitioners • To be an effective forum for members to share common interests and experiences

Our members

PRII members comprise public relations and communication professionals drawn from consultancies, industry, government, semi-state, voluntary and business organisations. The depth and scope of our members' backgrounds and working briefs reflect a considerable broadening of the role and responsibilities of PR professionals from the traditional media relations base, and highlight its cross-functionality with a variety of disciplines including journalism, advertising, marketing, legal, financial, healthcare and commercial functions.

Members of the Institute subscribe to the Code of Lisbon, the Code of Athens and the PRII Code of Practice for Public Affairs and Lobbying. These codes seek to promote integrity and clear understanding in the implementation of public relations programmes and closely reflect the overall objectives of the PRII itself.

The Swedish Association of Communication Professionals is a membership network for those working professionally with communication in Sweden and for those of you who wish to improve your own and your organisation’s communicational skills.

The Swedish Association of Communication Professionals was founded in 1950 by 12 Press Officers. Today the Association has over 7,000 members and is the second largest association for communication professionals in Europe (after the UK). We offer professional development and networking events, conduct research and industry surveys, and regularly publish news and services for communicators. We also strive to lead the debate on communication and our professional field.

Our Mission is to:

- Show that communication creates value and is a key factor in gaining a competitive edge.

- Distribute knowledge concerning how to develop communicational skills across the whole organisation, what drives change, and the factors involved in building confidence and strengthening a brand.

- Serve as the primary community and meeting place for companies and organisations by providing insights to new communication skills and by supporting and organising networks regarding communicational matters.

- Support organisations in their efforts to create an understanding of the added value of effective communication and its important role in relation to competition.

Our vision: All organisations are communicative.We believe that a communicative organisation is an organisation where:

- Leaders are role models who uses communication as an instrument to achieve goals- Communicators have an important and natural role in various levels of the organisation- Employees are aware of the importance of how the organisation communicates, both internal and external, to achieve high credibility.

Success factors:

-Devoted members, who are willing to share their knowledge, experience and expertise.

- An understanding and willingness to embrace and adapt to new trends and innovations within the field of communication.